Never Trust Someone Who Goes 'Pssst'
by Pseudo Twili
Summary: What happens when Link doesn't aquire the Goron Bracelet? When he gets a hold of bombs and goes straight to Dodongo's Cavern, consequences will come of it. He cannot lift bomb flowers or pull out grass, but what does that matter? When Link becomes an adult, something very large that needs pushing is too heavy for him to budge without the bracelet. What will he do?


_When I learned about the differently colored gauntlets in Ocarina of Time, I just had to try it out. I played OoT3D Master Quest and acquired the purple gauntlets; in doing which I had to skip getting the Goron Bracelet. I laughed when adult Link could not pull up the grass because I didn't have the bracelet! Thus was this story born. I did my best to lace it with some humor.  
_

_The Legend of Zelda belongs to Nintendo, obviously._

**Never Trust Someone Who Goes 'Pssst'~by Pseudo Twili**

Link entered Kakariko Village after the inhabitants had shut their doors for the night. In his head he was still hearing the song Saria had recently taught him. He had already played it twice, just so he could talk to his friend, and Saria was glad to hear from him so soon. Now he was heading for Death Mountain again; Darunia had told the boy about the gorons' trouble and then to leave him alone. Link had passed by Dodongo's Cavern and seen the massive stone that blocked it. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do next.

"Pssst! Hey, kid!" a voice broke into Link's thoughts. "Over here, kid!"

Link glanced around and spotted a man beckoning to him from the side of a building. He approached the strangely-garbed figure, who then led him around a few corners, until they reached a shack. Because Link was just a boy and he hadn't learned to distrust people, he had no qualms about following this stranger. Inside the tumble-down structure the man reached into a crate and pulled from within some objects wrapped in cloth.

"These are bargains, I tell ya!" he whispered. He unwrapped the bundles to reveal the items: a book, a worn bow and empty quiver, deku nuts, a very thin, rusty shield, and bombs. "What takes your fancy?"

Link eyed each piece of merchandise and considered carefully. "I'll take those," he declared, pointing.

"Ah, the bombs! I'll sell them to you—they're in fine condition, of course—for twenty rupees. A paltry sum!"

"Really? Okay!" Link agreed.

He poured the contents of his little wallet into his hand and immediately handed over the two blue rupees he possessed. While the man fidgeted, Link counted out ten of the green rupees, leaving himself with three. The man grabbed them, dropped them in a pocket concealed somewhere in his flowing attire, rapidly wrapped up his other things, and scuttled out of the shack.

"That was weird," Navi said. "I wonder why he was in such a hurry."

"I think these will open up Dodongo's Cavern, Navi. If I get rid of the monsters in there, like I did in the Great Deku Tree, maybe Darunia will give me the Spiritual Stone!"

Link ran off to Death Mountain and when he blasted open the entrance to the cavern, he narrowly escaped losing some fingers. He spent the better part of the new day slaying the dodongos of all shapes and sizes that infested the place. Much to his delight he found a bag filled with more bombs. It was such a nice, durable bomb bag; Navi told him it was made of a dodongo's stomach.

At last, after defeating the king of the dodongos, Link emerged from the subterranean area. He was worn out, his clothes were singed, his arm hurt from a slight burn, his new metal shield weighed heavily on his back, and he'd used all his deku nuts and sticks, but he wore a satisfied smile. Darunia landed behind Link, knocking the boy to the earth.

Link climbed back to his feet and turned to see the big boss of the gorons, grinning ear-to-ear and beating his chest. "It's me, Darunia! Well done!"

He patted the little hero so hard that he fell down again. "Thanks to you we can once again eat the delicious rocks from the Dodongo's Cavern until our stomachs burst!"

He went on to say that Ganondorf sealed the cave to get the Spiritual Stone from the gorons and that he, Darunia, was surprised at the number of dodongos that appeared. He requested that Link become his Sworn Brother. "There's no big ceremony involved! Just take this as a token of our friendship!"

"Thank you!" Link said, holding the Goron's Ruby carefully.

Darunia recommended that he visit the fairy on top of Death Mountain and then, "Hey, everybody! Let's see off our Brother!"

Gorons crowded around them, congratulating the boy, "You did great!" and, "How 'bout a big Goron hug, brother?!"

Link ran away from them as fast as he could. He did not want the over-friendly gorons to squeeze him to death! He climbed Death Mountain to visit the Great Fairy and then traveled to Zora's Domain to find the third Spiritual Stone.

When he passed through Kakariko Village again, he saw several guards around. He didn't know that they were searching for a man who was selling things that he shouldn't even be giving away. Already a little boy was in trouble because his parents found him with a bow and a man was furious because the shield he purchased fell to pieces as soon as he tried to use it. The only person who was satisfied was the maiden in the milk-white dress, who had purchased a book and discovered it held wonderful stories.

"Thank goodness we don't have any children running around with bombs!" one guard remarked to his friend.

Seven years later...

Link found himself in the half-unrecognizable forest, hiking through new growth and defending himself from the monsters that infested the area. He was battling his way through the woods to the Forest Temple because he knew Saria was in trouble. When he played her song after waking from his seven-year slumber, she told him how she heard the forest spirits calling for help and she went into the forest temple to check it out.

"But it's full of evil monsters! Help me, Link!" was the last thing she had said.

Now as he tramped through the forest Link came across some grass. When he tried to pull it out he was very embarrassed to learn that he couldn't budge it! No matter how hard he yanked at it, the grass remained firmly rooted in the ground. After spending several minutes of grunting and useless struggle, he finally continued further into the forest.

A much greater disappointment awaited him inside the forest temple. He came to a huge block that interrupted further progress and he could move it just as much as he had the grass. He spent hours trying to get around or over it. He searched for another way through the temple but there was none.

Very discouraged, he exited the dungeon and wandered about the land, seeking something to help him with his trouble. He had no success and ended up at Lake Hylia; he stopped at the fishing pond and, fishing rod in hand, he sat on the shore, not even attempting to catch any fish. So dejected was he that he failed to notice the melodious serenades of the red-winged blackbirds.

Night had fallen when Navi spoke, "Don't you think it was about time you left this place? There has to be something we can do."

"Well, okay Navi."

Link rose and withdrew quietly from the pond. The owner was snoring at his counter and his hat had slipped from his head, exposing his rather large bald spot. Only when Link was in Hyrule Field did he realize that he still had the fishing rod. He returned posthaste to the pond and approached the man somewhat shamefacedly.

"I'm sorry..." Link said.

"Huh, what?" snorted the owner as he awoke. "Who's that?"

"My name is Link and I forgot to return this to you." Link held out the rod.

"You did? Well, well! Not everyone would bring it back. Because you're such an honest young man I'll give this to you."

He rummaged around underneath his counter and brought out an old key with a design on either side of the bow. "I found this years ago and never found out what it belonged to. You can have it."

"Thank you," Link said solemnly and took the key.

He left the fishing pond again and studied his new item. On one side of the bow of the key was an intricate diamond shape and on the other a miniscule etching of a hand and wrist.

"I wonder what it unlocks?" Navi mused.

Link shrugged and began walking. Unfortunately the night was very dark and he could hardly see where he was going. As a result, he tumbled right into a hole in the ground. Navi rubbed her eyes and scanned her surroundings but could not find him.

"What happened to you, Link?" she cried.

"Umph! Ooof! I fell down here!" His muffled voice came from the earth.

"Oh, there you are!" Navi breathed a sigh of relief as she flew to him. "Are you all right?"

"I think so," he muttered as he picked himself up.

"Look at that, Link!" Navi exclaimed and dashed towards that which had excited her curiosity.

Link opened his mouth in surprise, but couldn't say anything. He had plunged into a small earthy hollow; the thick grass covering the ground had softened his landing. Several yards from where he had fallen, the cavern grew broader and filling up the space was a huge metal door covered in carvings that would make any craftsman extremely proud.

"There's a keyhole, too!" the fairy cried. "Link, I'm sure your key must fit this door!"

From his pocket he produced the key, slid it into the lock and grabbed the great iron ring that served as a handle. The door appeared to have been shut for ages, as every surface, from the carvings to the hinges to the iron ring that left a remembrance of its soiled state in Link's palm, was covered completely in dust. When he pushed on the door, however, it swung away as easily as if it had been maintained regularly.

The room into which Link stepped was breathtakingly beautiful. The walls seemed to move with wee, shining objects that looked remarkably like stars; the light that somehow stole its way there caught the facets of the tiny cavern-gems and cast itself in every direction. The ground was carpeted in thick, soft grass that made silent all footsteps. The most exquisite, exotic flowers either of the travelers had ever seen grew around a small platform in the center of the cave. Two steps led up to the large chest resting in the middle of the dais.

Link shook himself, mounted the steps, raised the weighty lid of the chest, and pulled out a pair of gauntlet coverings the color of amethysts, each with a red gem on the back. Simply by holding them in his hands he could tell they were magical. He turned to Navi.

"Do you think I should take these, Navi?"

"If you weren't supposed to have them you would not have found this place or been entrusted with the key. Go ahead, Link. Put them on."

Link slipped them over his leather gauntlets and flexed his arms. "I feel like I could lift giant boulders and throw them!" he declared. "Now I can push those blocks in the forest temple with no trouble at all! Come on, Navi!"

Link completed his quest with no further strength issues. When it was all over he returned the special gauntlets to the chest, locked the door, and hid the key where only he could ever find it again.

~Fin~

_Was it worth the read? Did something make you laugh? Feel free to tell me!  
_


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